Can Menard's tubular track be welded

I'd think it could be done, but with such thin metal, brazing might yield better results.  As with any zinc coated metal, removing this coating at the weld/brazed points would promote a better bond.  As you are also probably aware, zinc vapor is toxic, so precautions should be taken to avoid inhaling it.

Yea, according to who your read its somewhere between inconclusive and will melt your lungs.  Ventilation, as with most toxic fumes and limited exposure is the key.  As to brazing vs, stick welding as 70 amps - a quick hand should do it.

The consistency of the finish on Menard's track lead me to believe its hot dipped so there will be variability in the galvanization.  I figure I'll grind down to bear metal and move fast with the stick.

A wire feed welder with a spool gun for sheet metal would be a better choice.

Yes it would be, but its all about what's in the tool room tonight.

I would say good luck, but it sounds like you don't need luck if you have that kind of skill with a stick welder.

If you get a chance later, maybe post a pic of your handywork.

Steve, don't know about that - it very well maybe that it works, but letting folks see the bottom side is a whole 'nother thing.

Welding on tube with zinc coating would be a mess clean off the zinc and braze it with Small Tip or use silbond 45 with flux,less heat.

Mikey

By the time you cut everything, get it jigged up, figured out, test it and make sure it’s gonna work, the mail man would be walking up your driveway, crossover in hand,……welding any of this thin gauge sheet metal is just not a good idea,….and definitely not a stick welder!!…..good god, you’d never get it turned down enough to bury a rod into it to do anything,….but make it disappear,……I weld all the live long day, even a small mig machine is gonna leave you with a lot of clean up, ….to be sure there’s a hobby shop or something near by??….a crossover is one of those essentials nearly any train store would carry,…….but hey, …it’s your time …good luck, and enjoy!…

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

……welding any of this thin gauge sheet metal is just not a good idea,….and definitely not a stick welder!!…..good god, you’d never get it turned down enough ..

Pat

Pat that's what the ZW is for, right?

Well it was an honest effort.  by the time I got enough of the zinc off to actually weld it, there was not enough thickness to weld - just burned back even at 70 AMPS.

Was hoping that the web at the base of the rail would give me what I needed.

Don't have the materials to braze it.

As to the local Columbus Oh hobby shops - even the used guy - not 0 gauge 45s.

@SteveH posted:

Pat that's what the ZW is for, right?

🤣🤣🤣….yep sure forgot about that,….clearly it can do a good job of welding wheels and axles to the rails,….

Pat

@Rob Johnston posted:

Well it was an honest effort.  by the time I got enough of the zinc off to actually weld it, there was not enough thickness to weld - just burned back even at 70 AMPS.

Was hoping that the web at the base of the rail would give me what I needed.

Don't have the materials to braze it.

As to the local Columbus Oh hobby shops - even the used guy - not 0 gauge 45s.

You’d been chasing that thin stuff all the way to the pins….

Pat

Rob

Have you considered soldering the tubular track?

Charlie

@Rob Johnston posted:

Well it was an honest effort.  by the time I got enough of the zinc off to actually weld it, there was not enough thickness to weld - just burned back even at 70 AMPS.

Was hoping that the web at the base of the rail would give me what I needed.

Don't have the materials to braze it.

As to the local Columbus Oh hobby shops - even the used guy - not 0 gauge 45s.

You should have made a video. That had to be an instant poof at 70amps. Out of curiosity what rod type and diameter did you use and what kind of power (ac or dc)?

@Choo Choo Charlie posted:

Rob

Have you considered soldering the tubular track?

Charlie

You’d need 60 dollars worth of solder to make one 10 dollar crossover,……..

Pat

Geez, . . . a really really bad idea.  (You must'a been bored out of your mind.)

I think that with the time and money you spent planning, executing and then discarding the project, you could have driven 2 hours to a major city, bought the crossover, and then driven back home.  :-)

Mannyrock

Mannyrock,

Not at 5pm on a Sunday afternoon.

Columbus Oh is a major city with 2 hours being Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh, then of course the phone calls from store to store, or the drive at random

Transportation costs would have been $43.26 just for gasoline in my vehicle, $140 based on the current IRS deduction for mileage.

I won't share my hourly rate, but is north of minimum wage.

Concept to test burn was less than 1 hours.

Test burn to this ain't gonna work was less than 1 hour.

Chat time on OGR was while doin' other stuff.

SPFord27

DC, used what I had on had 3/32 - yes I know that's awfully heavy for my material - but again it was just using what I already had in the shop.

My arc was limited to just barely longer that it took for my auto darken hood to darken - where talking dwell time for the rod measured in thousands to hundredths of a second  When I held the arc longer, I started to get burn thru.

Not quite 70's era autobody steel thickness here...